Tongue switch



Patented Apr. 2,2, i924.

-Ni'rao srrs Ar v- Isaann n. DIXON, or Jonivs'rowiv, rnnitrs'YLvanni.`k

'roNGUn SWITCH. Y

Application iledJanuary 9, 192,4. Serial No: 685,288. Y

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, SRAEL K. DIXON, a citizen or' the United States, and resident of Johnstown, in the county oi Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongue Switches, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to switches and more particularly to -tongue'switchea andhas for its objectthe provision'of a novel form of tongue vretaining mechanism ior holding the tongue down to its seat, and allowing free movement Aof the tongue about its center. i

Another ,object is to provide a novel from bolts or nuts, and yet is adjustable vertically to compensate `lor wear.

A further object is to provide a novel retaining mechanism having i suiiicient re siliency or spring to automatically follow up the ordinary wear of the switch tongue and seat, thus preventing the tongue `becoming loose and pounding the seat. j

n still further object is to provide a switch having. the novel design, construction, and combination of-parts, hereinafter described in detail and villustrated in the accompanying drawings; I

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa plan 0i the .heel or pivot end of a tongue switch structure having my invention applied thereto. Y

Figure 2 is a sectional elevat ion through theswitch heel on the line II-*II of Figa ure 1. Y

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates thev switch body, which is provided with longitudinal groove or recess 3 forming a tongue bed. and said recess terminates at its'ie'ary end in a circular depression 4 forming al heely Tongueretainingmechanism which is free:

V19 I have provided am'latch or Y ated cani 21 which'l also locks the lever under' tension against 'the heel 6.

tainingV lever 12 is projected through the openings 8 9 and 10-11. The lever l2 is provided intermediate its ends with a rounded ulcrum bearing 13V which is engaged against a circular seat lli formed in the bottom wall of the heel (Sby lieveling or rounding oill the upper edge oi an opening 15 formed in the center of the bo-ttoin wall of the heel which is on or near the gage line of the tongue. VTheoiie end of the lever 12 is adapted to bear against thek upper faceofthe opening 9 in the heel bearing, while the opposite end oi the lever tapers downwardlyv toward its end, andV is provided with a'plurahty 'of seri'ations or teeth l7adapted tomesli with similar teeth i i 18 on the bottom face of a wedge shaped adjusting block 19y which is adapted -to be mounted on the upper `face of the lever.

By applying pressure to the Vupperiace of the .bloeit 19 the lever -12 will be rocked about its ulcruin bearing 13 and its opposite end will be .forced against the upper face of the opening),l and if Vthe pressure is continued the iulcruin Abearing will be forced against the seat so as to hold ythe switch tongue heel against its bearing.

In order to apply pressure to the block lever oper- 'c The end of the lever 12 carrying the block 19 projects into the box 7 Yand the latch 21 is mounted in this boi: and comprises a cani shaped head 22, ai and horizontal spindles 24 and 25.

The side walls of the boit 7 areprovided with `bearing slots 26V and 27, adapted to ieceive'the spindles 24% and 25 oi" the latch.' The spindle 24 and slot 26 are of greater length than the spindle 25 and slotr27, so thaty the latch may be moved bodily toward the switchY body a suiiicient distance to move the spindle 25 out of the slot 27, thereby facilitating the remo-val of the latch; Y Y

vThe head 22 is so shapedthat when the lever portion 28 is in its lowermost position the head will have moved slightly past its center or highest point, so thatV it is self locking and will lock the fulcruined lever 12 under tension against the heel 6.'

In operation theblock 19 will be adjusted to a position where the head 22 will bear suiiiciently on the block toproperly tension the lever 12, andthe latch will then be respectively,

9cv curved lever portion 23 Y forced down to locked position, thus forcing the lever 12 against the heel 6 and causing said heel to bear tightly against its bearing.

Due to the tension applied to the spring or resilient lever the tongue heel 6 will remain iirni on its seat, since ordinary wear will be automatically taken up by the. spring oi' the lever. However, when the wear becomes too great to be compensated for by the tension or spring of the lever, the block 19 may be adjusted to a higher position, so as to increase the tension on the lever l2.

The present invention, besidesv being superior to the forms of heel retaining devices heretofore used, in that it automatically compensates for wear and pr vents pounding, is also superior in that it employs no bolts, nuts or other threaded members which might. work loose.

claim:um

i. Ai tongue switch comprising a switch bony, a tongue mounted in a suitable groove in said body, a hollow circular heel formed on the rear end ot' said tongue, a retaining lever iulcrumed against the bottom wall ot said hollow heel and project-ing through the side walls thereof, and adapted to have one end engaged against a portion of said switch body, and a latch member adapted to bear against the opposite end ot said lever and torce the ulcrumed point thereof down against said heel.

2. A tongue switch comprising a switch body, a tongue mounted in a suitable groove in said body, a hollow circular heel formed on the rear end of said tongue, a retaining lever ulcrumed against the bottoni wall of said hollow heel and projecting through the side walls thereof and adapted to have one end engaged against a portion ofsaid switch body, a latch member adapted to bear against the opposite end of said lever to torce the fulcrum point of said lever against sait heel and thereby torce said heel into its seat, and means for locking said latch in position.

3. tongue switch comprising a switch body, a tongue mounted in a suitable groove in said body, a hollow circular heel formed on the rear end ot said tongue, a retaining lever fuir-ruined against the bottom wall ot said hollow heel and projectingthrough the side walls thereof, and adapted to have one end engaged against a portion 0i` said switch body, a latch member having a cam shaped head adapted to be rocked against the opposite end of said lever to tension the fulcruni point of said lever against said heel and thereby force said heel into its seat, said cam shaped head being adapt-ed to be movcd'past its highest pointV to lock said lever in its tensioned position.

l. A tongue switch comprising a switch body, a tongue mounted in a suitable groove in said' bot y, a hollow circular heel formed on the rear end of said tongue, a retaining lever fulcrumed against the bottom wall ot said hollow heel and projecting through the side walls thereof, and adapted to have one end engaged against a portion of said switch body, a. latch member having a cam shaped head adapted to be rocked against the opposite end of said lever to tension the 'tulo-rum point of said lever against said heel and thereby force said heel into its seat, said cani shaped head being adapted to be ymoved past its highest point to lock said lever in its tensioned position, andan adjustable wedge shaped member mounted on the end of said lever adaptedvto be engaged by said latch, said member being adjustable longitudinally of said lever to vary the tensioning eiect of said latch.

A tongue switch comprising a switch body, a tongue mounted in a suitable groove in said body, a circular heel portion formed on the rear end oi said tongue and mounted 'for rotation in a suitable circular recess in said switch body, a resilient or spring lever ulcrumed on said heel at aV point near the gage line of the tongue, means for tensioning said lever downwardly against said switch body, and means for adjusting the tension of said lever.

6. A tongue switch comprising a switch body having a longitudinal recess therein forming a tongue bed, said recess terminating at its rear end ina circular depression forming a heel bearing, atongue mounted in said longitudinal recess and provided at its rear end with a hollow circular heel portion adapted to be seated in said heel bearing recess, a resilient or spring retaining lever extending through suitableV openings in the side walls of said hollow heel and projecting outwardly from eachy side thereof, said lever being tulcrumed against the bottom wall oli said heel at a point near the gage line of' said tongue and having one end engaged against ak portion ot said switch body, means for applying pressure against the op posite end of said lever to tension saidflever downwardly againstY said heel bcaringand means for adjusting the tension ot said lever.

In testimony whereof, IV have hereunto set my hand. Y

SRAEL lx. DIXON.

lll) 

